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Home , Norman Bethune

Singapore Med J 2016; 57(10): 526-527 in Stamps doi: 10.11622/smedj.2016162

Henry Norman Bethune (1890–1939): , communist, humanitarian

Siang Yong Tan1, MD, JD, Kate Pettigrew2

Medicine, as we are practising it, is a luxury trade. We are selling involving elective pulmonary resection. Its success and his rapid bread at the price of jewels.... Let us take the profit, the private recovery inspired him to give up private practice and join the economic profit, out of medicine and purify our profession of medical search to conquer the disease that had nearly taken his rapacious individualism.... Let us say to the people not ‘How life. In 1928, he became the first assistant of Dr Edward Archibald, much have you got?’ but ‘How best can we serve you?’ a Canadian pioneer in thoracic surgery at McGill University in – Henry Norman Bethune , Québec, . Unfortunately, Bethune’s improving health was accompanied enry Norman Bethune was born in Gravenhurst, by his deteriorating relationship with his wife Frances; she , Canada, on 3 March 1890. His father was divorced him in the autumn of 1927. However, the couple could Ha Presbyterian minister from a long family line of not part ways completely. They remarried in 1929, only to divorce clergymen, educators and medical practitioners, while his mother again four years later. was an evangelical missionary. The family badge of service and his father’s exhortation to “always go where you’re needed ” left EARLY HUMANITARIAN­ Bethune was a highly trained an indelible mark on young Bethune, influencing his eventual thoracic surgeon who not only excelled in the care of patients, but foray into . There, he offered his selfless medical services to also invented or redesigned 12 medical and surgical instruments the war-torn country, an act that made from 1929–1936. Complementing him a national hero in a foreign land. his inventions, he authored 14 As a child, Bethune was said to be articles describing his innovations in curious, independent and stubborn. thoracic surgical techniques. Despite He once wandered away from home these accomplishments, he became at the age of six to explore the city of disillusioned with surgery and turned Toronto, Ontario, for several hours. An his focus to the socioeconomic early interest in surgery was apparent in aspects of disease. He proposed his practical interest in dissection and radical reforms to medical care and reverence for his surgeon grandfather. In health services in Canada. As his 1912, Bethune entered medical school social conscience grew stronger, at the in Ontario, he opened a free clinic tailored but interrupted his studies in 1914, after to treating those in need, just as the outbreak of , to enlist in the Royal Canadian Army his father had preached years earlier. Growing increasingly Medical Corps, in which he served as a stretcher-bearer. After he estranged from his medical colleagues who disapproved of was wounded in Ypres, Belgium, he returned home to finish his his candid and radical advocacy, Bethune gradually began medical degree, and then joined the Royal Canadian Navy and surrounding himself with artists and intellectuals. In 1936, he Royal Canadian Air Force. joined the Communist Party of Canada. Shortly after the outbreak of the in 1936, AND A TUMULTUOUS Bethune stepped down from his hospital position and offered MARRIAGE­ In 1920, Bethune married Frances Penny, his services to the Spanish Republican government. He set a calm, beautiful and introverted woman. The young couple up one of the earliest mobile services to quickly squandered much of her inheritance on a one-year tour rapidly collect and distribute blood to frontline hospitals and of Europe. They moved to , Michigan, USA, where Bethune casualty clearing stations. The innovation saved many lives, started a private practice and took a part-time job as an instructor but Bethune received little personal credit. In order to raise at Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery. Two years after the money to expand the blood transfusion service, he had to go move, Bethune contracted tuberculosis in both lungs and sought on a North American fundraising tour. Unfortunately, at the treatment at the famous Trudeau Sanatorium in Saranac Lake, completion of this tour, Bethune was unable to return to Spain; New York, USA. As his condition worsened, Bethune convinced unemployed, he lapsed into loneliness and dejection. Yet this his skeptical doctors to perform a potentially dangerous operation turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Bethune, as it was

1Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 2Research carried out during medical student senior elective at the John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honoulu, USA Correspondence: Prof Tan Siang Yong, 2226 Liliha Street, Suite B-104, Honolulu, HI 96817, USA. [email protected]

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then that he felt compelled to travel to China, which was under University, Ontario, and the Dr Norman Bethune Collegiate a full-scale Japanese invasion. Institute, a secondary school in Scarborough, Ontario. China was unabashedly enthusiastic. During the Cultural CHINA’S WHITE HERO­ In January 1938, Bethune trekked Revolution of the 1960s, communist leaders began to use Bethune more than 600 miles from Hong Kong to the headquarters of as a symbol of ‘selflessness, dedication and responsibility’, which the Chinese Eighth Route Army in northwest China. There, he were characteristics that the leaders hoped to instil in all of joined the Chinese Communists led by , the Chinese China’s people. An essay written by Mao Zedong himself entitled revolutionary and political theorist who fought actively against ‘In Memory of Norman Bethune’ reached every citizen of China the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party). While in Yan’an, with these words: “Comrade Bethune’s spirit, his utter devotion to the capital of the Communist-controlled Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia others without any thought of self, was shown in his great sense of Border Region, Bethune met Dr George Hatem, a New York- responsibility in his work and his great warmheartedness towards born Lebanese-American doctor. One of the few non-Chinese all comrades and the people. Every Communist must learn from individuals to hold a position of trust in China, Dr Hatem had him... We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from come to Yan’an two years earlier after practising for several years him. With this spirit, everyone can be very useful to the people. in Shanghai. He was instrumental in introducing Bethune to the A man’s ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he Chinese authorities and assisted him in organising medical services. is already noble-minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and In 1939, Bethune was appointed medical adviser for the above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people.” Jin-Zha-Ji Military District, under the direction of General Nie Bethune is a rare Westerner who has numerous statues Rongzhen, a prominent Chinese Communist military leader dedicated to him throughout China. The Norman Bethune and one of ten marshals in the People’s Liberation Army of University of Medical Sciences, which was later merged to become China. Over several months, Bethune constructed makeshift the Norman Bethune Health Science Center of University, hospitals throughout the region of west Beijing, wrote textbooks has at least three dedicated statues. He is also commemorated on medicine and surgery, and began training young Chinese at several institutions in , , China – Bethune nationals in medical techniques. He led his mobile medical unit Military Medical College, Bethune Specialized Medical College on horseback through the Wutai mountains of Shanxi province and Bethune International Peace Hospital. The Norman Bethune and across the Hebei plains. He encountered danger when Medal, established in 1991, is the highest medical honour in he occasionally wandered behind Japanese lines, yet never China. It is bestowed biannually in recognition of an individual’s distinguished between casualties, treating wounded Japanese outstanding contribution, heroic spirit and great humanitarianism prisoners and Chinese soldiers alike. in the medical field. Bethune was buried in the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery DEATH AT 50­ Bethune and his medical team worked long in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China. He became an instant national hours, which affected his health. On a final tour in the midst of the hero in China after his death and was given the name Pai-chui- Second Sino-Japanese War, before a planned return to Canada, en, meaning ‘white one sent’. In March 1990, on the centenary Bethune was called to a makeshift operating room to perform a of his birth, Canada and China simultaneously issued twin surgical procedure. It was the twist of fate that would ultimately commemorative postage stamps in his honour. cause his demise. In an era before universal precautions and surgical gloves, Bethune’s scalpel slipped and lacerated his own BIBLIOGRAPHY finger, which became infected. Tragically, the infection proved • Suzanne Michele Bourgoin, Gale Research Inc. Encyclopedia of World to be fatal and Bethune died of sepsis on 12 November 1939. Biography. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. • Franco A, Cortes J, Alvarez J, Diz JC. The development of blood transfusion: In 1972, the Canadian government declared Bethune “a the contributions of Norman Bethune in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Canadian of national historical significance ”, creating the Can J Anaesth 1996; 43:1076-8. Bethune Memorial Home in his hometown of Gravenhurst, • Wikipedia. Norman Bethune. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Norman_Bethune. Accessed August 1, 2016. Professionally, Bethune Ontario, Canada. He is thus described: “ • Pinkerton PH. Norman Bethune, eccentric, man of principle, man of action, gained international recognition as a skilful, dedicated surgeon; surgeon, and his contribution to blood transfusion in war. Transfus Med socially, he was more unorthodox. He was a complex man who Rev 2007; 21:255-64. • Russell H. Norman Bethune. Available at http://www. could both antagonise and inspire.” Other Canadian institutions thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/norman-bethune/. Accessed named in his honour are the Norman Bethune College at York August 1, 2016.

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